Definition of Red State

What is a "red state"? What is the definition of the term "red state"?

A "red state" is a state in which the voters generally tend to give their electoral votes to the Republican party in the Presidential election.

The opposite of a "red state"? "Blue state", which is a state where voters generally tend to give their electoral votes to the Democratic party in the US Presidential election.

Example of traditionally "red" states include Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas.

The use of "red" and "blue" states came into use during the 2000 US Presidential election.

The undecided states (aka battleground states, aka swing states) are the states that will decide the US Presidential election. These states can swing from Republican to Democrat and vice versa, which is why both President Obama and Mitt Romney will be spending untold amounts of money and time campaigning in these states. States such as Texas and Georgia have already been decided - it is the "swing states", such as Ohio and Florida, that will ultimately decide the election.